{Thanks-living} Friday

it’s one of those times when I feel like I could burst.

so many things that my heart could explode with gratitude about for this month.

but a major that’s been on my heart so heavy. something I’ve been thinking all month about is how the lord provided all of our needs. from school supplies_ to gray’s birthday_ and oh, all of us dental appointments to which we found out no cavities for any of the kids. bursting at the seams, I tell ya. because let's be honest. there have been many and even thinking back to last year. many times when we struggled to get everything together for school. last year we had moved into our new home and so things were just tight financially. but this year has felt like such a sweet relief of ….just breathing. like I can breathe…and I’m so thankful. so so very thankful.

this month also included oldest turning the big 13. that’s another post for another time. but he is so sweet and so handsome and I’m so proud of him. and now he’s an official teenager. and along with that his voice has officially started to change. we were eating dinner just the other night and he was telling us something when the girls started laughing. youngest said "mom what’s wrong with him. his voice sounds funny." puberty baby…..that’s what happened.

the girls have been at each other a lot. i’m not sure what’s going on totally. but I think it’s just the added pressure of school_ change_ and just the branching out of wanting to be their own person. on the occasions when they are best buds though, I adore it. and i’m so thankful for what they have_ for what they will have_ and for how they do love each other. because trust me, I never had a sister. so to watch them when one tells the other in kind of a non-filtered way that they don’t look good in a certain pair of pants and to see the other accept it as “word” is straight up love.

the Neelster is continuing to grow as in getting bigger and grow on me. i have to admit. there were times in the beginning when I still thought ummm, maybe we shouldn’t have a dog. but now I really can’t imagine our lives without him. he fits so well with our family and brings us lots of laughter. I really can say now that I love him. he has become my neelster.

getting to meet and hang-out with Allison was another highlight. she’s the kind you just feel like you’ve known forever. where the conversation flows freely and before you know it time has flown and it’s time to part ways. so you just get giddy anticipating the next one. 

me getting to have my hair done this month. it had been the first part of June since I had gone last and i get mousey looking. and i get a little bossy…when I get mousey. it just does a girl good to have her hair freshly done and feel good about it. you know what I’m sayin'. and I’m thankful for that. big time.

and my biggest most bestest news for this month is our middle accepted Jesus as her personal Lord and Savior. talk about the best news ever! she had been questioning me for a few weeks and I could have pressed it. i could have offered to pray with her. but I really really wanted it to be something she pursued. something she asked me for instead of me feeling like I may have coaxed, etc. so during our normal goodnight routine she asked me. and we talked_ and we prayed_ and she got it nailed down. 

now she never has to question or doubt because she knows on August 26^th, 2012 her sins were forgiven. she became a new creation. and this is why my heart just may beat out of my chest. this is why I am giving thanks where thanks are due in my life. this is how i'm trying to live a life of thanksgiving.

Happy Friday and long weekend!

Linking up with Leslie for her new link-up entitled...

.heather